National News

Building explosion rocks Harlem

UPDATE: 12:38New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says this morning's deadly explosion and building collapse in East Harlem was caused by a gas leak. He says two women are dead, and 18 people are hurt. De Blasio added there are a number of missing individuals. The mayor says Con Edison is working to turn all gas off in the area. De Blasio lauded the efforts of first responders.

UPDATE: 12:01 PM Two people are dead, as many as 20 are hurt and others are missing after an explosion triggered the collapse of two buildings in New York City. Con Edison confirms it was responding to a report of a gas odor in the area just before the explosion occurred in East Harlem. More than 100 firefighters are battling the flames. Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force are on the scene, though there's no official word on what caused the blast. Train service in the area is suspended due to debris on the tracks.

UPDATE: 11:52 AM One person is dead and as many as 20 are hurt after an explosion triggered the collapse of two buildings in New York City. Con Edison confirms it was responding to a report of a gas odor in the area just before the explosion occurred in East Harlem. More than 100 firefighters are battling the flames. The five-story buildings collapsed around 9:30 local time. Train service in the area is suspended due to debris on the tracks. The search continues for anyone who may be trapped in the rubble. A joint terrorism task force is on the scene as a precaution, but there is no official word on what caused the explosion.

(NEWSER) – A massive building collapse and fire is causing chaos in East Harlem this morning. The initial blast reportedly occurred about 9:30am at a residential building at 1646 Park Ave., and plumes of smoke could be seen for blocks. The FDNY is calling it a four-alarm fire. Fox News has live video here. At least 11 people suffered minor injuries, according to CNN, though the details are still firming up.